WAR
by Ed's Tomato
Summary: When the inevitable War between Humans and Mutants breaks out unlikely alliances will be forged
1. Disclaimer

**-This story is in serious need of revamping, as so many of my others. I still think the idea has merit. I'm fond of the 'band together in times of crisis' stories, but I probably won't get to it for awhile. If you liked this idea at all check back and hopefully it will have blossomed into something better eventually. All the chapters are far too short, I know. Thanks for bearing with me and thanks to those who did enjoy what I have down already and have reviewed. It really helps to inspire me. I'm hoping eventually I'll have the opportunity to flesh out not only Toad but a majority of the X-Men and side characters I've introed here as well as find a place to put Xavier. :-)**

This was written just post X2: X-Men United so the events of the third movie did not take place here.

_Hey, I own nothing…obviously Marvel owns it all, and the ideas they take from me through espionage (there's hidden circuitry in the merchandise you know) THEY ARE ALWAYS WATCHING! BE VIGILANT!_

_Anyway, Uh, this is a story about the inevitable war between Mutants and humans that would break out. I've taken some liberties. Jean Grey did not die or become the Phoenix. I was alone in disliking the Phoenix saga I know, but that's okay, it's my story. The events transpired much as they did in the movie, but Nightcrawler saved her instead, because he would have, easily…blerg._

_Uhm…I love Toad…I write a lot of Toad fan fiction…It doesn't matter that I'm weird. I don't care,._


	2. Prologue: The Call

The situation was dire. Jean Grey sighed, shutting her eyes. Her head rested heavily on one hand, as she went over the piece of paper containing the law one last time. The mutants didn't have a hope.

The bill had been passed in Congress just this morning, an answer to the ever increasing mutant 'problem'. Here it all was in black and white. Naming mutants as something other than human, and therefore… not entitled to the rights entitled humans. They were being round up like cattle…like the Japanese, during World War II. The same mistakes being made all over again.

The only people safe were the ones in hiding, and those who could hide what they were. The inhabitants of the School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester, NY were not some of the lucky ones. After William Striker had exposed the X-Men and their students to the world by attacking them at home, they could no longer claim to be an innocent boarding school. Striker may have died at Alkali Lake, but the damage he'd done, remained.

For a time the President had been on their side. Either too frightened at the prospect of being assassinated, or actually touched by the words of Professor Xavior, they didn't know. But his term had ended, and a madman named Michael Branson was elected in his stead. President Branson's take on the Mutant Phenomena was that it was an offense to God. A highly religious man, bordering on obsessive, he considered it his duty as President to rid the world of this evil.

Jean dropped the paper, standing up resignedly. She had a job to do. Over thirty students here looked to her for guidance. And moping over a bill she no longer had the power to change wasn't helping any of them.

"Jean?" Ororo Monroe stuck her head in the door, meeting her friends gaze, "It's happening. It's on the news. They're sending out the army to round everyone up and put them in 'safe zones'."

Jean clenched her fist in anger.

"Does Scott know?"

"He's getting everyone ready as we speak. We have to leave here."

"I know. Give me a minute…I'll be there."

Ororo nodded, her white hair shorn shorter than usual. Jean guessed it had something to do with anxiety. Never one to pry into a friends thoughts, Jean couldn't help but feel the need for change radiating off the African goddess in waves.

Once again Jean chided herself for procrastinating so long, but it was heart wrenching to think of leaving this place maybe never to return. It had been her home for so long. The only place in the world she'd ever really felt safe.

"Screw it," she muttered to herself. It wasn't safe anymore, and no amount of wishing could change that. She headed for the door, determination written on every feature. It would be a hard winter.

* * *


	3. World has gone to Hell

"Bloody hell," Toad leaned forward on the barstool to get a better look at the fuzzy black and white television across the counter.

"I know, it's insane," the waitress agreed, setting down another beer in front of the mutant. "Harry's gonna have to close up shop," she continued, "just isn't safe anymore, not with the Government raiding known mutant hang outs and arresting everyone."

"Let them try to arrest me," he muttered angrily, his British accent stronger with passion.

"They're talking about giant robot Sentinels keeping guard around the 'safe zones' making sure everyone stays in," she looked disgustedly at the television, wiping her hands on the dirty apron at her waist, "or making sure they don't get out alive."

"Bullocks," Toad swore, reaching in his pocket for the tab.

"Keep it honey, you and your friends better get outta town."

He ignored her, pressing the money in her hand. Few people treated Toad as decently as Molly did. She was old and ugly and had worked at Harry's since it had opened, and had never once treated him like everyone else did. Like a Toad.

He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt low over his head, and the jacket he wore, tighter around his bulky frame. Lucky it was winter or he would have stuck out like a sore thumb. He thought about Molly's words on the way back to the seedy motel he was staying at. Maybe he should get out of town.

He wondered momentarily about what Erik and the other were planning. Surely they wouldn't go down without a fight. The thought was a longing one for a moment, but then he forced himself to think about Liberty Island, and how they'd left him to die, and the familiar rage welled up to replace the loneliness in his heart.

Half of him had hoped that once Erik got out of jail that he would be looked for. But he should have known better. He was no longer of any use to Magneto. The plan had failed, and Toad knew Magneto well enough to know that he would be the one blamed for the equipment failure.

When he reached the motel he lay on the bed trying to drift to sleep, but the nagging fear and doubt of the future kept him up until he sat again and flipped on the television. A mutant child's face was centered on the screen. It was hideously ugly: a big-snouted nose, and sharp jagged little teeth, but the eyes were definitely a child's: frightened and confused.

The newscaster was speaking and Toad forced himself to pay attention. The child had been killed earlier that evening. The age undetermined, but it was the first to perish while resisting arrest by the hand of the monstrous sentinels.

'More of these Sentinels have been sighted all over the country, and the government is asking all of it's citizens to please stay in your homes and do not approach them. They are programmed simply to take into custody any mutant they come across, but trying to resist them can inadvertently lead to the mutants demise.'

"Inadvertently my ass," Toad snarled, fighting back the urge to kick in the set.

The next image surprised him.

'A private school in Westchester, NY, uncovered by the late William Striker as being a safe house for mutants, was raided this morning. The occupants are still putting up much resistance, attempting to buy time for some of their number to escape. Already many of them have been unaccounted for and it is believed they are hiding out or on the run. If you have any information about these mutants please call …'

The screen fizzled and Toad leaned forward, eyes glued in place. A beautiful redhead he recognized took the place of the vapid Blonde he'd been watching.

"Please," Jean Grey began, "They're killing the children. Please don't let this happen. We can't hold off much longer. Anyone…please…help us"

The screen wavered again, and the Blonde was back, looking irritated.

'Please ignore that unsanctioned interruption in our broadcast. We are looking into it's source right now, it has no bearing on tonight's news.'

The remote snapped in Toad's grasp. The X-Men were calling for help? And the bloody government was killing them. The ones who'd worked so hard for peaceful co-existance. Toad found it ironic.

No love was lost between the amphibious mutant and the heroic X-Men. He'd done his best to kill the redhead last he'd seen her, but the image of the ugly child burned into his memory. It hit home as hard as anything else ever had.

Growing up on the streets of London, he'd been beaten, ridiculed, even sexually mishandled. Magneto had rescued him, but his life was still not perfect. There he was the brunt of Erik's anger, he was the lapdog and the lackey. Not until he'd gone off on his own, after nearly being killed by the X-Men's Storm, had he really been free. And even now he lived in constant fear, moving from place to place every few nights, never leaving a trail anyone could follow.

But even when things had been their worst, his opponent could be beaten back. He had a fighting chance, and he'd taken it. Even the meanest bully has a weakness. Even the most terrible foster father can be kicked in the bloody skull. But giant robots?

The little kid never had a chance. And his life was ripped away from him, by something he couldn't fight, something he couldn't reason with, or run away from.

And that made Toad angry.


	4. Answering the Call

The transmission had been short, but they had gotten through. Jean sighed in heartfelt relief, begging to God that someone would hear her plea and come to help them. They wouldn't last more than a couple of hours now. Some of the children had gotten away through underground tunnels, before the huge robots had caved them in. Now they were dong their best to dig down to them, and hold off the assault long enough for the others.

Jean had no misconceptions about what was happening. She was going to die here. She'd been so close to death at Alkali Lake, barely saved by Nightcrawler before the water closed over her head. But there would be no fuzzy elf to save her now. He had already fallen in the first assault, taking one of the mammoth robots with him. His sacrifice had saved the children who'd escaped.

Some of the children had refused to go. Piotr had only looked at her as she begged him to run. 'You need me to stay' was all he'd said, before he'd plunged headlong into the fray. She wasn't even sure if he was still alive. Between the two Sentinels left and the ever increasing army around her, she knew that the odds weren't good.

Wolverine was on the ground, slicing any soldier that got too close. The carnage was unbearable, but Jean forced herself to watch. To cry as she levitated a car over a platoon and let it go. There were others here she didn't' recognize. Poor generous soles who had answered her call and come in self sacrificing.

A leggy Blonde in a bright pink shirt was screaming wildly as she chunked ball after ball of energy at a Sentinel, blowing off it's right leg. Theresa Rourke's father screaming a high pitched sonic scream, toppling it over on it's side. Theresa had been one of the children to die first.

Jean heard her doom right before it hit her and she turned in what felt like slow motion. A huge hand closed over her slender frame.

Suddenly she was slammed to the ground and she heard the squeal of bending metal. She covered her head as she was showered with sparks. A calloused hand grabbed her arm, yanking it nearly out of it's socket.

"Run, you git"

If Jean had had the luxury of time to think, she might have been shocked and surprised at the owner of the hand, but she didn't'. All she had time for was gratitude, and to run.

Toad leapt in the air, twisting his body as he shot up, and slammed his super strong legs into the robot's head. His knees shook with the impact, but he landed on his feet, right beside the hand he'd amputated. The head was dented in, but still in working order. Toad on the other hand, wasn't sure how many more of those he could perform.

He didn't' know what the hell that thing was made of, but it was strong. Just as he readied himself for another go, Wolverine appeared beside him, splattered in blood but obviously unharmed.

"Need a hand?"

Toad wasn't used to help. He preferred to work alone. He almost said so too, but then glanced at the Sentinel he was about to attack.

"Yeah"

Between the two of them, they brought down the last sentinel landing it atop at least two platoons of troops. There was still carnage everywhere, but at last they heard Jean in their minds. 'Cyclops and his team broke through, we can make it out through the tunnel system and cave it back in behind us"

The Mutants all ran for the tunnels at once. Wolverine swearing and doing his best to cover their backs. Toad hung back, ready to make a run the way he came in. His hands shook as he realized the way was closed off by about a hundred troops.

His iridescent eyes frantically looked for escape routes, to no avail. His hesitation was costing him precious seconds and he knew it. Where could he hide? He'd done what he came here to do. Stop the army from slaughtering the children, and now it was time to go. He was not a Hero to run triumphantly away with the rest of the saved. But he wasn't about to become a martyr either.

He felt the bullet strike him before he saw the shooter.

"Damnitt"

His tongue slammed around the neck of his attacker, twisting it a direction it wasn't' supposed to go, while his hand clamped to his side. Now he was screwed. There was no way he could fight them all with a bullet in his side. There was no way he could run fast enough to get away. He felt the familiar iciness of unconscious try to spread through his mind, but he fought back. Now was not a good time to pass out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Wolverine grabbed the nearly unconscious Toad by the collar and hauled him after the others.

"I thought you were smarter than that Frog-Boy"


	5. Safe for now

When Toad came to it was dark and he could hear muffled voices around him. A dim light was near him, a low fire, casting shadows on the already shadowed wall. His eyes picked up the light and glowed strange and overlarge.

"How are you feeling?"

The red head was back. Leaning over him with something like…concern? He swallowed, trying not to grimace at this thought, but his disdain must have shown because she moved back.

"I'm alright"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised. You're the last person I ever expected to help us."

Toad shrugged. His reasons were his own. He wasn't about to get all touchy feely with the X-Geeks.

She paused, before realizing he didn't intend to answer.

"Well, thank you, for whatever reason. You saved my life, and helped us save the kids."

Toad sat up stiffly. His side burned like a mother, but he ignored it. He was used to pain after all. And this wasn't the first time he'd been shot. He fumbled in his pocket for cigarettes, to find the carton crushed.

"Bollucks"

He did his best to smooth out one of the unbent ones and lit it on a burning ember. Faces were visible around the low flame. Many of the X-Men and mutants he'd never seen before. Even a few visually deformed. A little girl with a hairy face and fangs was munching on a granola bar and spoke in quiet Scottish tones to Rogue. He remembered Rogue, and looked down guiltily at his hands.

None of the Brotherhood had felt right about killing a little mutant girl at Liberty Island, but you didn't question Magneto. Ever.

Wolverine was there. Wolverine had saved his life. Toad wasn't sure how he felt about that. He didn't like to be indebted to anyone, but at the same time, he was glad to be alive. Well… as glad of that as Toad got.

He saw Storm then, and felt his temper flare. She glanced at him in the same moment, and before he knew what he was doing he had leapt to his feet, much to the displeasure of his wound. Wolverine laid a hand on his arm.

"Easy Bub, I'd hate to gut you after you saved Jeannie, but I do a lot of things I hate."

Toad ripped his arm away. He did not like being touched. Glowering he sank back on his haunches and stared at her as menacingly as he could. He noticed her pale under his scrutiny. He smiled.

Wolverine sat beside him. Toad had never figured the guy to be big on conversation, but he lit a stogie and started chatting. At first it was about the fight and Toad's attention wavered. The guy was all too impressed with his own combat skills. But then Wolverine put out his cigar and looked Toad over, hard, like he was trying to read him.

"Never would have figured you for a hero."

"I'm not," Toad reached for another bent cigarette as his started to go out.

Wolverine snorted.

"What do you call what you just did then?"

"Masochist. I get off on pain, s'why I let 'em shoot me," he pretended to stretch and stifled the horrifying spasm that went through his muscle, "ahhhh feels greeeat."

Wolverine shook his head and got to his feet, making his way into the shadows further ahead in the tunnel. Toad could hear him barking about just sitting around waiting for the government to find them and experiment on their asses. A voice that Toad recognized as belonging to 'Visor-Boy' argued that the kids were tired. Wolverine insisted they'd rather be tired than dead. Toad wanted to giggle.

He stretched out. Apparently they weren't going anywhere for awhile, and he was in a lot of pain. Too bad his cigarette's had gotten crushed. That was bum luck if ever he'd had any.


	6. Socializing

Toad woke with a start, groaning at the rock that was poking him under the left shoulder blade. The camp was stirring, must be getting ready to move out. He tried to stretch, surprised at how stiff he was. He could hear Wolverine shouting orders from the front of the line, and got to his feet. No place to go but travel with them for awhile, though Toad vowed to take the first possible side tunnel out of this love-parade.

He loped along a few paces behind the others, not wanting to share in their joy or their grief. He had his own worries. Despite his desire to remain aloof Magneto and the Brotherhood still plagued his thoughts. Would they be fighting? Already captured? Dead? He couldn't' see Erik put into another concentration camp. It would kill him.

Absorbed in his own thoughts Toad didn't notice the girl fall back to walk with him.

"So, I hear you're one of the bad guys."

Toad blinked, looking up at her. It was the leggy blonde. Her pink shirt much the worse for wear, but she was obviously unharmed. He grinned.

"Yeh that's me," he made a dark face intending to scare her off. She laughed.

"Name's Tabitha, they call me Boom Boom," she stuck out a hand, which Toad ignored, "bet you can't guess why?"

"They call me Toad, and I'm sure you can."

The girl didn't seem to get the hint.

"C'mon Toady, I I figured for better manners from a -."

"From a member of the Brotherhood?" Storm had appeared out of nowhere and was looking over the blonde, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you have poor taste in new friends."

Toad grumbled to himself. It was getting entirely too social, but he hated letting Storm get the last word in.

"Well luv, it's nice to have witty banter an all, but I'm a bit busy, and you'rea little lacking in wit," he gave her a smug look that elicited a scowl from the weather-witch, and then to his shock as much as anyone else's, he put an arm around the blonde.

Storm stalked on ahead and he removed it quickly.

"Sorry"

"About what?" Tabitha grinned at him wickedly.

If Toad didn't know better he might like this girl. But as much as Toad might find her physically attractive, he'd learned long ago, pretty girls meant trouble.

"That beastly…woman," he jerked his thumb after her.

"Don't worry about her Toady baby, I waaas gonna say I expected better manners from a Brit. But the Brotherhood sounds way more entertaiing"

Toad glared at her. He was shot, tired and angry, and she wanted to talk about the only thing important in his life that he'd been kicked out of.

"What's to hear? Bloody weather-whore electrocuted me and now I'm on the injured list." He pushed past her, wanting for once to get lost in the crowd. He got a look at her face as he passed her and she looked disappointed. He wondered what she wanted really. A chance to interview with the Great Magneto? He almost wanted to tell her all she had to do was sign up, they didn't' have bloody tryouts. Cor, women were crazy.


	7. Grudges

-------------HUZZAH! Thanks for the reviews. It fills me with joy. SO MUCH JOY! hee hee giggles

I HAVE ENABLED ANONYMOUS REVIEWS! I didn't realize I hadn't… Ah well. Thanks for telling me JuJuBe111

FYI to everyone….I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but…I'm like the queen of writers block, so yeah…I'm gonna try to battle it, but…just warnin you.

Reviews do help in my struggle though, oh yes, they help . Also..I know this is not my best work, but If I force through the rough parts maybe It'll get fluid once again. Oh and there will be some warring soon, don't you worry, and some old Buddies too yes...old buddies HA--------------

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They'd been walking all night through the dimly lit corridors. Many of the younger ones were being carried, and many of the others were falling back. Toad marched on attempting to be oblivious to the ever-nagging pain in his side and the ever-nagging pain in his ass. Storm walked a few feet away and had not stopped in complaining to Jean about him since he'd begun to walk up front.

It was getting ridiculous. He had a great urge to just stomp her. He could almost feel the satisfying crunch beneath his boots, the soft squelch of skin and organs being collapsed in on itself. He grinned at her wickedly.

In the redhead's defense she appeared not to be paying any attention to her friend. She kept glancing back at the younger mutants and glancing up at her fiancé Cyclops, who was currently setting a relentless pace. Toad didn't mind. The sooner they broke ground, the sooner he could escape.

He didn't regret coming. Every time Storm threw a scathing look his way, or a muttered comment he thought back to the little Scottish girl he'd seen talking to Rogue. He was getting soft, he supposed. Too long living by himself had made him sentimental, made him long for the company of others.

Now he had it in abundance.

"Ororo, STOP IT."

Toad's eyes widened as the rest of the troop became silent to watch the scene.

"He saved my life. He risked his own life to come here and help us."

Storm looked shocked at the outburst.

"But, he's -"

"A Terrorist? A member of the Brotherhood? What? It doesn't matter Storm, he helped us."

Storm was staring at Toad now in a way that made him feel incredibly uncomfortable. She suddenly pressed past Jean and stalked toward him, hands clenched at her sides until she towered over him looking down her nose.

"Tell me why you would do this. Convince me this is not some trick."

Toad narrowed his eyes.

"Sod off."

He tried to move around her, but she stepped in his way.

"Convince me of your pure intentions now, or else -"

"Or else what, luv? You'll electrocute me again?" He crossed his arms over his chest, and continued, "I don't have to explain myself to you."

She was nearly shaking with fury, the air in the tunnel suddenly shifting this way and that, sweeping through her hair, waiting for an outlet.

"I will call down all Hell upon you if I think for one second that you- "

"That's enough."

Cyclops now stood between them.

"Storm. That. Is. Enough."

She turned traipsing ahead, heeled boots making a clacking echo in the silence.

Cyclops turned to Toad to offer an explanation? A warning? An Apology? Toad didn't' wait to find out. With a huge amount of effort, considering what pain he still was in, he leapt up to the ceiling and clung to the dark rock blending with the shadows. He scurried up, intending to stay well out of sight and hopefully left alone.


	8. Coming up for air

------Hey hey hey, beats back writers block with a stick

Sorry about Storm. I know she's a little out of character, but I dunno, I loved comic Storm. Movie Storm, well, she seemed like she'd be a …. insert expletive here . I could see her holding a grudge. Grrr…

Anyways…uhm…enjoy some more? Please? Thank you

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They broke ground on the third day.

Wolverine went first, sniffing the area for Sentinels or martial forces. It was a heavily wooded area, providing good cover, and he motioned down for everyone to come up. One by one they trailed out into the sunlight squinting their eyes.

Jean sat on a fallen log, nursing swollen feet, and resigning herself to never wear heels again. She watched as Cyclops pulled everyone out, keeping an eye on the sky for any aircraft that might be doing sweeps. When Toad came up, she picked herself off the log and went to him.

"You need medical attention."

He shrugged. Those amphibious eyes always unreadable.

"Where will you go?"

He shrugged again, glancing into the bright sky and moving under some shade. Jean tried one last time.

"Stay with us."

He looked surprised, and cocked his head at her in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because we're not out of the woods yet, because we have a better chance for survival if we stick together, because I owe you my life and I'd like to have the chance to repay that."

He stood still watching her for a long time, thinking. The breeze blew soft and cool around them, taking away some of the stench of confinement. The sun provided welcome warmth from the stifling cold of the tunnels.

"Please."

He seemed pulled out of his reverie by her word, and looked up to meet her gaze.

"And the weather-witch?"

"I'll speak to her. She's just…angry still, about Liberty Island."

"So am I."

Jean nodded. She could understand that. She could understand both their perspectives, the curse of being a telepath.

"We can start fresh. We need you Toad."

He sighed, still squinting at her with that unreadable gaze.

"Alright. For awhile."

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He couldn't believe he'd agreed to stay. Sitting by the opening of the tunnel, an eight-foot wide hole covered by a fake tree that was now sitting sideways on the ground, he watched the others. He didn't belong here. A quiet uneasiness drifted over him as he contemplated his decision to stay.

They didn't like him. Why should they? He was ugly, He was mean, and he was on the other bloody team. Or, he used to be. So why would they want him here? Guilt?

She didn't seem like it was pity. She seemed like she was afraid. Did she think with him around she'd be safer? He rubbed his face with one hand, tired and sore. Why did he say he'd stay?

Ever since he'd joined them in the tunnels he'd been itching to leave. Jean's irritating 'caring about everyone', Storm's ridiculous suspicion of him, everyone freaking camaraderie, it was disgusting. 'And I'm thinking about them by their first names now', he realized. He shook his head.

But she was right. He needed medical attention, and where would he get it besides them? It would be safer to stick together; he could no longer suppose to hide unnoticed in seedy bars and seedier motels. Not when the entire world was out looking for them. She was logical and she was right, and he was annoyed.

He watched Blondie stride toward him from the group of older mutants. Now, SHE, was a mystery. As soon as he'd gotten there she'd attached herself to him, without provocation or reasoning. And as soon as he'd gotten himself comfortably situated away from the others, here she came.

"Hey Toad, your buds are on TV."

He gave her a confused look.

"One of the kids brought his portable TV, it just started working when we got out of the tunnels, and the Brotherhood is on it."

He stood up and moved around her, toward where he could now make out the faint sound of television. They were all crowded around it: Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Wolverine, but he pushed his way in to see.

"What's happening?"

Cyclops answered him by pointing the set his way.

'…the mutant recently escaped from a federal prison, and had been at large until today. Here you see him with part of his 'so-called' brotherhood attacking a sentinel in Times Square…'

It was the Blonde reporter he'd been watching the day when Jean had broken through. He decided he really didn't like her, and if given the opportunity, she'd be ground beneath his boots. He smiled.

"Yeh, if anyone could take down a Sentinel, that'd be Mags," he spoke fondly, trying to forget how angry he still was with the man.

"This means the city is crawling with Feds," growled Wolverine, "that means, we have to get out of New York."


	9. Formulating a plan

They moved at night, laying low during the day, always careful to stay beneath the trees. The fear of an aerial assault always there.

Jean Grey had tended his wounds as best she could: Psychokinetically removing the bullet and then physically sewing him up. It wasn't a bad job, under the circumstances. He'd had much worse. Done much worse, to himself.

He was still hanging back from the crowd, but they were now trying to include him. They kept asking him to join them when they ate. The Blonde, Tabitha, kept walking with him every night.

He did his best to ignore her, but even he had his moments of weakness, where he just couldn't' remember why he was trying so hard to be distant from them. 'What would it hurt?' a little voice asked him. He might almost have taken it to belong to one of the telepaths in the group, but it was too familiar. A voice droning on him his whole life.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

"What?" Toad was shocked back to his surroundings by the piercing, uninterruptible voice of Tabitha Smith.

"I asked if you'd ever had a girlfriend. Are you hard of hearing or something?"

"No."

"No, you aren't hard of hearing or no you've never had a-"

"Pick one."

"Ah, I just wondered."

"Wondered what? What is was like growing up looking like this?" Toad couldn't help sounding bitter. Here he was actually considering giving these blokes a chance and then she sticks her nose into his business, dredging up old disappointments and hurts.

"No, I just wondered if there was a physiological reason why you walk around acting like you have your own personal rain cloud shoved up your ass."

Toad blinked.

Tabitha continued, nonplussed.

"But it makes sense, if you've never been laid."

Toad blinked again.

"I mean, hell, even visor-boy has the illustrious Doctor to soothe his woes. I don't even want to think about what a tight-ass he'd be without getting his nookie."

Toad actually stopped and stared at her. .

"You just don't have boundaries, do you?"

Tabitha looked confused for a second and then shrugged with a smile.

"What can I say, I like to talk."

Toad shook his head and started walking again, wishing for once that Storm would come up and intervene. Although he realized he wouldn't mind seeing the look on 'visor-boy's' face if he heard Tabitha talking about his 'nookie'.

Tabitha finally seemed to get that he wanted to be left alone and she sauntered off to flirt with some of the other guys her age. Alone he could appreciate the walk. Starry night, away from the city smog. Slight breeze running through the trees, the sound of crickets and other wildlife.

In any other circumstance he might be enjoying himself. He hadn't been yelled at once, unless you counted Storm's depraved ravings, which he chose to pointedly ignore. He even enjoyed being relaxed and comfortable around 'his own kind'. They might not be the company he'd choose under the best of times, but they were alike in some inseparable ways. And he didn't, for once, have to hide what he was.

But his mind kept wandering back to the danger they were in. The horror they were facing. Toad lived his whole life running from one horror to the next, but this time, he didn't know where to run. They were heading toward Canada now, but they had no real way of knowing how the Canadian authorities would receive them.

He missed Magneto's island, where the mutant made his own laws. He missed feeling like he had a purpose. Now he was just running. He could content himself with the idea he was acting as bodyguard to the others, but the truth was, he didn't have anywhere else to go.

They reached a dense place in the forest again. It was time to stop for the day; the sun would be breaking soon. Toad sat beside the Scottish werewolf-girl and reached for a protein bar. Not much flavor, but he'd had worse. Raw pigeons, for one thing. He could eat those if he had to, or at least catch them for the others, but if they didn't have to resort to that they were better off. Pigeons were disease-ridden birds, and all they needed was the children falling sick to some form of food-poisoning.

The girl looked at him. He usually stayed away from the group, but he was feeling bolder. She looked frightened. He smiled at her, and offered her a bar. She blinked at him and took it before running toward Rogue when she was called. He peered after her.

He was even scary to that little girl. He wondered if his reputation had preceded him, or if he was really that ugly. Watching Rogue with her he realized it was probably the reputation. 'Not that you aren't that ugly,' he reminded himself. He plucked a blade of grass and began rolling it between his fingers, lost in thought.

"Hey kid, you got a minute?"

Toad looked up at Wolverine standing a few feet away with Cyclops and Storm. He got up and shambled toward them, keeping a wary eye on Storm, but she look disinterested.

"What's up?"

"We've been watching the news and it looks like the sentinels will be starting sweeps up this way starting tomorrow," Cyclops told the news grimly, "We thought we should start to prepare."

Toad chuckled.

"Prepare to be slaughtered, you mean?"

"I think we could stand a fighting chance if we could work as a team…we could at least protect some of the children."

Toad shook his head, "Oh don't worry boss, I'm in for the count, just don't' think we'll stand much of a chance is all."

Wolverine looked like he agreed, and even Storm nodded her head. Cyclops looked defeated.

"Well what are our alternatives? I'd love to hear them, I really would," he meant it; he was to the point of desperation.

Toad sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Now it didn't seem so funny. What were the alternatives?

"Well, standing around chattin won't get us to the border any more quickly," Wolverine looked grim, "told ya coddlin those kids wasn't gonna do 'em any good."

"I'm not sure now is the best time to place blame."

"Not if it's directed at you, right Scotty-boy?"

"Logan," snapped Storm, "The important thing right now is the safety of the children."

"Maybe we shouldn't be running?" Toad's voice was quiet, but Wolverine stopped arguing.

"I'm listening runt."

"You ever think the best way to avoid being taken, is to take them first? What about going to where they manufacture these things and taking 'em out? I mean, some of these kids are pretty powerful, and I sure as Hell like the element of surprise better when it's on my side."

"You're suggesting we operate not only outside the law but against the law, and we use the children to do it?" Cyclops looked aghast.

Toad shrugged, "Not pretty an clean like you X-Men like to do it," he sneered as he said X-Men, suddenly sounding like the other side again, "but then again, neither is getting slaughtered off or locked up in camps."

"You were just complaining that the group of use couldn't take a few Sentinels and now you want us to attack the whole factory?"

"Not alone, we couldn't take them, no."

"You are suggesting we enlist the help of your former Master," Storm spoke up, putting a very derogatory inflection on the word 'master'.

"Yeah, I'm suggesting we give ole' Maggie a call, unless you bunch can think of something better?"


	10. Captain Toad

author's apologies---

Where is Xavior, you ask? I'm sure you trusting fools think I'm keeping him separate purposefully. That I have some master plan. WELL I DON'T. honestly. I forgot him. I'm so embarrassed. Hee hee, and you know I was just teasing about the fools thing.

Good lord, how could I overlook Charlie-X? I should have just killed him off at the beginning, but now it's too late. DAMN DAMN DAMN. If anyone has any ideas about what to do with 'Wheels' email me and let me know… Seriously I am so embarrassed. Way to catch me though, Kudos carmilla. Ay mi Dios, I must be smoking the crack.

----

----------------------------

It was decided that Toad would lead a team to find the Brotherhood and enlist their help. It took a lot of arguing; Toad stayed out of it after his first impulsive run of ideas. He'd backed away and watched the X-Men try to sort out the plans. Mort wasn't sure exactly how it had happened, but here he was looking over his 'troops'.

Blondie had weaseled her way into the group. She claimed Toad needed someone 'watching his ass'. She winked and nudged him as she'd said it too. Toad wasn't the only one who looked at her like she was crazy. Pretty much the entire camp had become squeamish as the words came out of her attractive blonde head. But Tabitha merely shrugged and remarked loudly that she liked guys with character.

Storm was coming, much to Toad's chagrin, but he couldn't find a reason that wasn't personal to dispute it. Chances were they'd need someone who could provide cover, and Storm was the best choice.

She'd actually volunteered, as odd as that seemed. She didn't seem happy to be his traveling companion, but at least she could push aside personal feelings for the good of the group. She stood beside him now, acting as an obvious second in command as he looked over the rest.

A statuesque Asian woman with a British accent had volunteered herself. She had an angry, no-nonsense air about her, and carried twin samurai blades. She had said candidly that she didn't know who this Magneto was, but that she preferred to hit her enemies' head on, and that all this running we'd been doing was making her sick.

The last two volunteers had been male. A younger guy with a southern accent and a silly grin plastered on his face had stepped forward introducing himself as Sam and said that as long as somebody'd watch his little sister he'd be 'mor'n happy to oblige', and a Cajun guy in a trench coat who claimed to have some practice at sneaking around.

For the fourth time that day Toad wondered how it was that he'd ended up in charge of this lot. According to the news Magneto had last been sighted in New York City, so that's where they were headed. The rest of the group would stay in contact, but try to keep the kids as concealed as possible.

When he'd found Magneto, they'd try to come up with some sort of plan. Toad bitterly wondered what they would do if Magneto refused them. Toad rubbed his temples. He wouldn't though. Toad was almost certain of it. Magneto loved a big scene and what got bigger than this?

Still, Toad didn't feel prepared for the task at hand. He'd never so much as led one of Sabretooth's fleas, never mind leading an actual group of people. Would they listen to him? A glance at Storm made him doubt it.

But there was Tabitha, leaning on the arm of Sam and laughing loudly. She met his glance when Toad looked over and waved. She'd listen. And the others didn't know him well enough not too.

He hefted a bag of supplies over his shoulder and glanced back at the group. Who would have thought he'd be taking the responsibility of all this? He turned back to his traveling companions and motioned that they should head out.

"Want to cover some group 'for it gets light out."

"Yes sir, Captain," Tabitha saluted him and started off at a brusque pace he was sure she wouldn't be able to keep up.

Sam hugged his little sister, a cute blonde pigtailed thing that barely came above his waist. She wrapped her arms around him and furrowed her brow.

"Don't leave Sammie!"

"I'm goin on an adventure Paige, ah real life adventure, alright? So don't you worry none."

"Ah wanna go on the 'venture too," her pink face screwed up to cry, but Jean's hand on her shoulder quieted her. She let go of her brother and stepped back, waving and sniffling.

The Asian beauty scowled unbecomingly and paced up the road, followed by the Cajun who looked as though he was trying to hit on her.

Storm came last, walking beside Toad. She merely nodded at her friends and promised to keep in regular contact. They began the way in silence, but it was easy enough, not as uncomfortable as Toad might have expected.

--------

Jean watched them leave with a heavy heart. She didn't like that any of them were splitting up, but it had to be done. Toad's suggestion had been the only one that held any long-term promise. They couldn't just keep running forever.

She watched him as he spoke to the mottled assembly he was taking with him. Still nervous, anxious of the normal looking mutants. He'd wanted to go alone. She shook her head, admiring his bravery.

She'd never expected, never known what kind of person he was. Always dumping him as Magneto's lackey. Jean wondered briefly what his life would have been like if they'd found him first. Would he still have this strength of character?

Wolverine cleared his throat beside her, watching the group leave. Paige Guthrie still standing there waving though her brother was out of sight.

"Kid turned out to be a surprise."

Jean nodded.

"Do you think they'll make it Wolverine?" She could trust him to be honest at least.

"Yeah, Jeannie. They got a better chance than most, I'd say."

The group disappeared from sight, and Jean turned back to her tasks. The kids needed to be rounded up. They needed to get moving again. Rations had to be handed out, and worries quashed away.

She thought of Professor Xavior, wondering where he was, and why she couldn't sense him. He'd been attending meetings of Congress, doing his best to fight the bill before it was passed. She hadn't heard from him since the first attack.

She couldn't let herself think about it too much, because it hurt. If she let herself think about his absence, it made it all the more real. And right now they needed to cling to as much hope as possible.

She looked back to the place where they'd disappeared into the trees, wishing for one last glimpse. She hadn't told Storm she was sorry before she left. She hoped she wouldn't be saddled with regretting that later.


	11. A moment of fantasy

They walked in silence most of the night, Storm taking up the lead because she was comfortable with it and Toad covering the rear because he was most comfortable there. Tabitha had slowed her pace to walk beside him, her normal chatter gone, her face strained looking out for trouble. 

Dawn broke and Toad called for a stop, feeling weird telling the others what to do. Tabitha grinned at him and fished in her bag for rations. The Asian woman, Betsy, merely stood at the edge of the campsite, not letting her guard down for an instant.

Storm unrolled the sleeping bags. They'd chosen a spot that was well covered by trees and should no be easily seen from the air. Hopefully their luck would hold and they'd find similar campsites along the way.

"Betsy, you want to take first watch?"

"Yes." She was already in place as it was. Toad didn't' suspect she'd be sleeping anytime soon anyway.

"Alright, I'll take next watch, then Storm, then Remy, then Tabitha and Sam you get last."

There were no arguments. Sam got in his sleeping bag and was softly snoring in seconds. Remy tried to talk to Betsy again, who was pointedly ignoring him, before he gave up and went to bed too. Neither Toad nor Storm were tired so they sat by the gear, speaking in low voices and planning out the next night. Tabitha sat a little away, headphones over her ears, head bobbing to music.

"Figure we should find Mags in about four days, give or take. Just hope the others can hold out that long."

Storm watched him speak. He rubbed tiredly at his shoulder, the weight of the days events taking their toll.

"I hope this will work," She said awkwardly, stretching her own legs.

Toad nodded in agreement. The silence was thick, uncomfortable. She wasn't being horrible anymore, but Toad doubted they would ever be friendly. Of course, if anyone had told him he'd be about to lead X-Men into battle he wouldn't have believed that either.

In a few moments Storm resigned herself to try to sleep, and nodded a good day to him, shuffling to her bag. Toad vaguely wondered again if she'd take an order from him.

As soon as Storm seemed to be asleep Toad turned to be nose to nose with Tabitha Smith, who grinned broadly at him.

"Hey, Mort."

"Don't call me that," he sounded exasperated. She grinned again.

"Don't be grumpy, Greenie, I'm here to keep you amused."

Toad wondered what in the Hell she was implying by that. He settled on answering her with a raised eyebrow and a head cocked to the left.

She rolled her eyes and backed up slightly, looking him over with a scrutinizing eye.

"I think I've got you figured out. After years of pent up sexual frustration you went nuts and started stomping everyone in sight?"

Toad's eyebrows dropped alarmingly quickly into a scowl.

"I can think of someone I'd like to take out pent up frustration on."

Tabitha winked.

"Is that so, Greenie? Cuz if you're offerin I might just take you up on…-"

Toad snorted.

"I'm not offering."

As though she was serious. This girl was really giving him a headache. Half the time she seemed decent, and then she just fucking started taunting him like this. It _was_ enough to drive someone crazy and make them start stomping everyone in sight.

Toad turned irritably back to watching out for sentinels, trying to ignore the girl giving him exasperated looks. Finally it got to be too much and he turned back to her.

"WHAT?"

It came out a lot louder than he'd intended, and most of the camp woke in a hurry. Toad flushed.

"Sorry, g'back to bed."

When it was quiet again, he turned back to Tabitha who looked terribly amused and whispered 'what?'

"You've just got an awfully big chip on your shoulder."

"I just don't like being teased by pretty faced mutants."

"I wasn't teasing."

It was Toad's turn to roll his eyes. Yeah right she wasn't teasing. Sure, she was really offering to… Toad looked closer at her. Was there something wrong with her that wasn't apparent to the naked eye? Something more than her irritating habit to be crude and amusing all at once.

She scootched closer to him laying a hand on his shoulder and purring, "Toady, baby I want you to pound every little frustration you've got out on me."

He leaned in to make good on his threat and groaned as a twig stabbed him in the side. A twig?

Toad woke with a start sitting up, startled and brushing the twigs off of himself.

He must have fallen asleep when Storm had, and experienced a dream that was waaay to pleasant for comfort out here where anyone could hear him having it.

He glanced around suspiciously, wondering if anyone had noticed. Everyone was quiet. He grumbled down at the bulge in his pants that threatened to betray him, but after some well-placed thoughts about Sabretooth and Wolverine he managed to get his body under control.

It was probably getting close to his watch, so he got up and started toward Betsy.

She simply nodded when he came to stand next to her, and went toward her sleeping bag. She was an odd one. A real warrior. Reminded him of Mystique.


	12. Finding Him

Sorry it's been so long, chaps. I'd had no idea where to go with this, until just a few days ago. But I hope it was worth the wait, and I promise the next chapter won't take so long to come--

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Toad was tossed through the air to crash in the brush, ribs aching and the breath knocked out of him, but relatively unharmed. He was up and bouncing again as the laser sliced through where he'd tumbled seconds before.

They'd been ambushed leaving the safety of the forest and now they were fighting to stay alive as four Sentinels surrounded and attempted to separate and capture or destroy them.

The Cajun had proven to be an asset as card flew from his outstretched hands to explode over the mammoth machine. The Asian woman, Betsy, fought with a ferocity only matched by the berserker Wolverine, but hers was skilled and controlled as she leapt out of reach and attacked with psychic knives. Tabitha was slower than the others and obviously not as practiced, but her fervor was unparalleled. She screamed as she threw ball after of exploding energy. Storm was amass of power. She levitated just above the robots and called upon the forces of nature to aid her task. The young man from Kentucky, who called himself Cannonball was on the ground, looking dazed after shooting himself up and straight through the center of one of the Sentinels, igniting his legs like a firecracker.

Toad fought with anger no one but he would ever understand. He fought back the oppression, the manipulation and torture that would come at the hands of the robot's makers. He knew, because he'd lived with it all his life. So, bleeding from a good cut on his arm and nursing several badly bruised ribs he jumped again to land on one of the massive shoulders and throw everything he had into destroying it.

He was a man possessed, not fighting to live, but fighting to die. He saw Tabitha knocked to the side with a half scream that wrenched at his heart when it stopped. He looked up, almost blinded by the light of the crackling lightning that thudded into the machine beside the one he worked on. He saw nothing and no one and rent his body attacking something twelve times his size.

He didn't stop kicking and beating at it with all his strength until a hand grabbed his shoulder, wrenching him back to the reality that they Sentinels all laid destroyed and the fight was over.

He looked up, breathing heavily, unable to see through the blood that poured over his right eye. He didn't even remember sustaining the injury. It was Storm whose hand was on his shoulder, anchoring him back to reality and leading him off the battleground under the trees.

She led him toward a pile of rocks, sitting him down to crouch and dab at the blood covering his face. He didn't say a word, still lost in the battle, staring into space and swallowing reflexively every so often.

"Where you trying to kill yourself?" Storm asked, as she taped up the cut over his brow, and moved to examine his arms.

"Wot?" Toad blinked, looking at her with some confusion.

"I have never seen a man fight like that before. You held back nothing to survive with."

He didn't answer at first, not sure how to respond; somewhat confused that Storm would notice or care.

"If they take me, I'd rather be dead," He finally answered honestly.

It was Storm's turn to be silent as she wrapped up his arm, another injury he'd missed and sat back to look at him with a scrutiny that made him blush in spite of the fact he was a noted terrorist and assassin.

"We are counting on you, do not get yourself killed…I do not think Magneto would deal as kindly without your presence."

Toad cocked his head in thought, and leaned forward to take pressure off his ribs.

"Don' worry about me, peaches," The words were snide, but his tone betrayed him, "Magneto'll want a piece of the action, doesn' matter 'o delivers it to 'im."

She shook her head at him, as though in pity. He hated pity, and wanted it least of all from her, but he said nothing. Uncharacteristically silent. Maybe she'd heard it in his tone. He didn't want to see Magneto again. He did this for the children.

Tabitha groaned and rubbed at her head beside him, a large bruise staining her otherwise perfect complexion. She sat up, shirt badly torn, scratches already covered with bandages, though they were stained with blood. Toad turned away from her, he was no leader, didn't know how he thought he could have been.

Storm could take care of it. She was obviously accustomed to giving orders and having them followed. Toad was just used to looking out for himself. He'd see Magneto tomorrow. He didn't think he was ready to handle it. But this wasn't about comfort, this was a War.

---

Tabitha was more her bright and chipper self as they started out again. Hurriedly, not knowing what radio message the mechanical monsters could have sent out before being destroyed. There was no time to waste.

She stayed near Toad, sensing perhaps his growing unease, or maybe just realizing he was more badly injured than the rest of them. But then, he'd taken out two of the Sentinels by himself. Tabitha had never seen anything like it.

He didn't even argue when she took his arm, more heavily muscled than she'd realized. He just kept his eyes straightforward, and she'd seen a muscle in his jaw clench. Something was troubling him, she was certain. She was used to his constant brooding and bad humor by now, but it seemed the closer they got to Magneto the more drawn and distant his one time cohort became.

She wondered why they had gone their separate ways to begin with, and assumed it must have something to do with her new friends worsening mood. Even Storm wasn't giving him as much of a hard time since the fight with the Sentinels, which Tabby almost took as a bad sign.

When they approached the city, it was evening, the sun just disappearing behind the skyline. It would have been beautiful had their purpose not been so dark. Had she not been so frightened.

Where would they look? She eyed Toad, who was searching the sky for something she didn't see. His head was cocked thoughtfully; he seemed to be waiting for…there was a slight tremor to the ground. Storm looking up concernedly.

"More Sentinels?" She asked, her stance already becoming defensive.

But Toad was smiling, a dark sardonic smile, and shook his head.

"Oh no luv, that's not Sentinels."

And he left Tabitha's side, running along the dark streets toward something no one else could sense. But Toad knew what he was doing. Tabitha was sure of it, so she darted after him, the others following suit.

The streetlights came on as they passed, either by chance or because someone was aware of their movement, Tabitha didn't know, but she forced herself to run faster, lest Toad outrun them all. The streets were deserted, a feeling of anxiety and foreboding heavy in the air. And still Toad ran.

Her lungs felt about to burst, a stitch in her side stabbing painfully with every pump of her legs, and Toad stopped before her at the mouth of an alleyway. Standing in shadow, the street illuminated before him, torn up and gouged with the rivets of an earthquake.

'Ello, Erik," His soft voice cut through the still night, and carried easily over the street and all it's carnage, "It's been a long time."


End file.
